Unique Dietary Requirements - Assignment Example

? Food Journal My food journal reveals that on an over-all basis, my food intake exceeds that of the DRI in terms of calories. To be more specific, Iconsumed 11% above the DRI; yet, this does not necessarily mean that my food intake for that day is healthy. Many individuals eat a lot of food but do not get the right nutrition at all. They just put on some excess weight and develop a health problem later. In my case, a deeper analysis at the nutrients I have received for Day 1 does show that I had a healthy food choice. To better understand how I arrived at this statement, it would be best to break down my DRI for each food group. The first group that I want to analyze is the vitamin and minerals group. My spreadsheet shows that I have a consumed a variety of fruits and vegetables that can be considered healthy such as banana, broccoli, asparagus, and Greek salad. This definitely enhanced the percentage for vitamins and minerals which was even boosted by consuming yogurt and shrimp. It could be said then that my food choice for this food group is healthy because the sources are quite varied. I did surpass the DRI for each Vitamin and Mineral very well. However, I should also be cautious of sodium intake which was twice the amount recommended. High-sodium intake especially on a daily basis is a precursor for certain diseases such as hypertension and kidney problems ( Sodium:How To Tame Your Diet Now, Mayo Clinic website ). Food that is processed or preserved (canned food) often contains high levels of sodium. The next group to be analyzed is fat. I was not able to determine the target DRI for fat; instead, I only recorded my consumption of monounsaturated and poly unsaturated fat. Nevertheless, there was minimal consumption of food that contained trans-fatty acid. If my only basis was fat, it could be said that I consumed 92% less than what was required which is not bad. Regrettably, the cholesterol consumed is 1,287% which is an indicator of a poor diet. Cholesterol leads to atherosclerotic heart disease (Freeman and Junge, 2005) which is why a high cholesterol diet should be avoided as much as possible. Indeed, people should pay attention their dietary intake because their health is at risk. As for carbohydrates, I have consumed less than what was required; however, much sugar consumption was undetermined. Carbohydrate is necessary for supplying energy for the body; yet, the source must not come from simple sugars. This is another issue that must be emphasized because too much sugar consumption could also lead to diabetes. I also included fiber in the diet since I am aware of the health benefits of this food type. As for protein, I consumed twice as much as the DRI. When it came to drinking water, I only consumed 70% of DRI which is really not healthy. It can be observed that there are some food groups that are over represented such as vitamins and minerals. In the case of carbohydrates, I really do not prefer eating bread or pasta which explains the result. In a way, I was trying to go on a diet by just eating chicken, fruits and vegetables. I also observed that I did not hydrate myself well which can lead to constipation later. There are several reasons behind these results. The first limitation I had is the variety of food choice presented to me. The canteen does not present much variety and food at home is quite simple because everyone is too busy to prepare a full meal. However, this is not an excuse because I can choose to buy and prepare my own food. I should introduce more variety by adding more fruits and carbohydrate sources. A hearty whole wheat sandwich can be easily prepared for snack time. The lesson here is that individuals must put a conscious effort to achieve a healthy diet. This requires careful planning to achieve a balanced meal. There is also a need to discuss people close to me that I have decided to change my eating habits. My parents could support me in this endeavor and may even take part in preparing meals that contains all the food types in the food pyramid. In fact, having much food is not as important as having the right kind of food. Also, the key to healthy eating is moderation because anything in excess can cause harm. For example, sodium and potassium are very important for vital functions of some organs. However, having high levels of these minerals can also stress some organs like the kidney and liver. Comparison between two diets – Watson’s and mine. There is not much to say about Watson’s diet since the values are quite limited. I couldn’t say what type of food she exactly consumed; plus, there were also some undetermined amount in the report. However, Watson shows a certain balance in choosing the food that she ate. Her largest consumption comes from carbohydrates which is recommended which supplies energy. In fact, this is what I have to improve on my diet which has very low carbohydrate content. Watson also consumed less amount of fat which is really a good decision. However, she needs to consume more protein which is crucial for muscle growth and development. In conclusion, Watson’s diet seems more balanced than mine; yet, this is not conclusive because her vitamins and minerals intake is not reported. Nevertheless, I believe that her diet reflects a better health philosophy than mine for she is consuming food moderately. Also, all the food groups are represented in her profile which shows that she aims for balance. In the end, each person has their unique dietary requirements. The Food Pyramid is just a guide on acceptable levels to consume but only a nutritionist can give your proper advice. Lastly, people should be extra careful when choosing the food they eat so they can stay healthy all the time. References Freeman, M., & Junge, C. (2005). Heart Disease Primer.The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol (p. 13). New York: Mc Graw Hill Professional. Sodium: How to Tame your Salt Habit Now - MayoClinic.com. (2011, March 31). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved May 2, 2011, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284. Read More